Apparatus for supplying fuel to furnaces.



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E. BENNIS. APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL T0 FURNACES.

(Application filed Oct. 29, 1900.)

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No. 69|,232. Patented Ian. 14, I902.

E. BENNIS. APPARATUS FOR-SUPPLY|NG FUEL T0 FURNACES.

(Application flied Oct. 29, 1960.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDlVARD BENNIS, OF BOLTON, ENGLAND..

APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING FUEL TO FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,232, dated. January14, 1902.

Original application filed December 28, 1897, Serial No. 663,865.Divided and this application filed October 29, 1900. Serial No. 34,822.(No mnrleLl T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BENNIs, engineer, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain,

residingin Bolton, in the county of Lancaster,

England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatusfor Supplying Fuel to Furnaces, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to apparatus for supplying fuel and air tofurnaces.

' Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section ofthe stoker, also showing the fire-bars; Figs. 2 and 3, enlarged views ofthe mechanism for feeding and distributing the fuel, and Fig. 4 asectional plan of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, Ais a hopper for the fuel, and A a box, preferablyrectangular in shape, the bottom of which is extended at a, so as toform a shelf or table for the feedplate B to rest on. This feed -plate Bis moved to and fro by a bell-crank lever C, Fig. at, actuated by ascroll-cam D, which cam has an equal number of lifts upon it to those ona cam, to be hereinafter described, which operates a plate which pushesthe fuel into the furnace. The scroll-cam D is so constructed that thedistance apart of the portions d can be regulated or adjusted by meansof a lever E and screw F,thereby regulating the throw of bell-cranklever O and the amount of fuel fed to the furnace by the feed-plate B.In my earlier experiments the fuel when small and dry was apt to runthrough the box A and choke the fire and so produce smoke. Now this isentirely obviated by means of a plate G, which is suspended on a pivotin the box and extends downward nearly to the level of the front of thefeed-plate B and at the point which such plate reaches when pushedforward, so that when the feed-plate is drawn back a space or recess isleft to be filled with fuel and when moved forward pushes such fuelunder the suspended plate G and over the end of the shelf a, eachsuccessive push causing nearly the same amount of fuel to be pushedover, the exact quantity being regulated by the screw F. This plate G isheld in position by a spring H and stop I, so that it can give Wayslightly, the effect of this arrangement, be-

ing to entirely prevent fuel being fed except when pushed over by theplate B, which is siinplya necessity for marine firing,\vhere the motionof the vessel would otherwise cause fuel getting behind it when itpasses beyond the end of the shelf, this shield never entirely leavingthe shelf.

The striker is fastened to or forms a part of a striker-arm M, arrangedon the outside of the box, and is bent round to avoid the shaft N andalso to give springiness and which passes down one or both sides of thebox and is bent under to clear. The upper portion of the striker ismounted on a pin or shaft 0 and has a projection P upon it for the cam Qto bear against, and it is pivoted at R to a piston-rod S to behereinafter described.

The striker-arm M is operated by the springactuated piston-rod S, whichworks in the cylinder- T and has apiston with piston-rings U thereon.

V is a spring pressing against the piston in such a manner as to pushthe striker through the action of the striker-arm M toward the fire.This piston is made so as to form a plunger and fill up the closed spaceat the other end of the cylinder. The tension of the spring V isregulated by the end V of the cylinder having a thread, so that it canbe screwed into the cylinder to any desired extent. If the cam or tappetQ be rotated, the striker-arm M is pushed back, as shown in Fig. 3,carrying the striker L withit, and when released by the cam it boundsforward, as shown in Fig. 2, among the fuel deposited by thepusher-plate B in front of it and scatters the fuel over one zone of thefire.

The cam-wipers have each a different radius, so as to push back thestriker to various distances, and so put the spring V into variousdegrees of tension, so as to throw the fuel to different distances, theclosed end of the cylinder being unaltered and acting as a buffer totake up the unexpended force.

The cam Q may have either three or four wipers Q; but in either case ateach revolution of the cam all the fire is covered and the actionrecommences.

The lifts on the scroll-ram D, that actuate the lever C, are made ofvarying heights to correspond with the extent of the throw, the lesserthrow having a less feed, as the front of the fire gets a small amountfrom each throw, and were thefeed always equal would get too much andthe fire would not be equally good. The cam D and striker-cam Q are bothon the same shaft N, which passes through the boxes and is driven fromone end by any suitable gear.

This application is a division of my former application, Serial No.663,865, filed on or about December 28, 1897.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated a portion of the apparatus shown,described, and claimed in the application aforesaid for the purpose ofclearly illustrating the relation of the present invention to furnacestructures. In said figure, 1) designates the main furnace-bar carryinga series of smaller interlocking grid-bars c. The main bar I) isprovided with a downwardly-projecting arm or striker Z, which is acted'upon by a cam j to move it rearwardly, the cam likewise acting upon themember 2', extending down from the bar, to draw the bar forwardly. Across member or support n is provided for the forward end of the bar,and

a dead-plate p fits over the forward end of the bar or bars.

I claim as my invention 1. In an apparatus for feeding fuel to afurnace,the combination of a hopper; a feedbox located below said hopper and incommunication therewith; a shelf a. located within said feed-box; afeed-plate working on said shelf; a plate pivotally mounted in the upperportion of said box and extending down toward the feed-plate; a springfor normally holding said plate in avertical position and permitting itto be moved forward by a charge of. material; and a striker working inthe lower portion of the feed-box beneath the shelf, substantially asand for the purpose described.

2. In an apparatus for feeding fuel to a furnace, the combination of ahopper; a feedb'ox'located below the same and in communicationtherewith; a shelf a extending forwardly in said box; a feed-plateworking on said shelf; a plate G pivotally mounted in the upper end ofsaid box and extending downwardly toward the shelf; a spring connectedto said plate and normally drawing the lower end of the same back towardthe hopper; a stop to limit said rearward movement; and a strikermounted in the lower portion of the box, said striker serving todischarge and distribute the charge of material which passes to thelower portion of the box from off the shelf, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

33. In an apparatus for supplying fuel to a furnace, the combination ofa hopper; a feedbox located below the same and in communicationtherewith; a shelf amounted within the feed-box; a feed-plate mounted onsaid shelf; a plate G pivotally mounted in the upper portion of the boxand extending down toward the feed-plate; a spring connected to saidplate and normally holding the same in a substantially verticalposition; a striker working in the lower portion of the feed-box; an armfor supporting said striker, said arm being pivotally supported at apoint in the upper portion of the feed-box; a cam working in connectionwith said striker-supporting arm and serving to force the same back; acylinder pivotally mounted in rear of said striker-arm; a piston mountedwithin said cylinder and having its rod extended forwardly and pivotal]y connected to the strikerarm; and a spring V mounted within thecylinder intermediate the piston and the rear end of the cylinder.

4. In an apparatus for feeding fuel to a furnace, the combination of ahopper; a feedbox located below the same and in communication therewith;a shelf mounted within said feed-box; a feed-plate mounted on saidshelf; a bell-crank lever 0 having one arm in operative relation withthe feed-plate; a rotatable and adjustable cam D in operative connectionwith the outer end of the bell-crank lever; a lever E connected to saidcam; means for shifting said lever and thereby shifting the cam; a plateGpivotally mounted in the upper portion of the box and extending downtoward the feed-plate; a spring connected to said plate and normallyholding the same in a substantially vertical position; a striker workingin the lower portion of the feed-box below the shelf; an arm forsupporting said striker, said arm being pivotally supported at a pointadjacent to the upper portion of the feed-box; a cam working inconjunction with said striker-supporting arm and serving ICC to forcethe same back; a cylinder pivotally mounted in rear of said striker-arm;a piston mounted within said cylinder and having its rod extendedforwardly and pivotally connected to the striker-arm; and a spring Vmounted within the cylinder intermediate the piston and the rear end ofthe cylinder.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 18th day ofOctober, 1900, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD BENNIS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE PATERSON, JOHN W.A1Nswon'rH.

